Sydney Morning Herald announces new editors

Fairfax has tapped up Sean Aylmer as editor-in-chief of The Sydney Morning Herald and Darren Goodsir as news director in Sydney following today's top editorial departures.

Earlier today, Peter Fray resigned his post as SMH editor-in-chief while Amanda Wilson stepped down as editor in the fallout from the wholesale restructure Fairfax announced last week.

Current national business editor, Metro Media Sean Aylmer will take on the editor-in-chief role, with responsibility for the title across both print and online. Aylmer joined Fairfax in 1997 and has worked on titles including the SMH, The Australian Financial Review and BRW.

Metro Media editorial director Garry Linnell said: “Sean has an outstanding journalistic background but it's also his leadership skills – and passion for Sydney – that sees him well-equipped to steer the Herald through the coming years. He has played crucial leadership roles in previous newsrooms undergoing change and has been a critical part of the project team overseeing our shift toward a digital future.”

Aylmer said: “Sydney is a truly unique and energising city. We should reflect that. It's a passionate town where stories never dry up – and it's the role of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Sun-Herald to uncover and report those stories, along the way informing and entertaining our readers.”

In a move to shore up Fairfax's digital focus, editor of smh.com.au, Darren Goodsir, has been appointed as news director in Sydney. The statement from Fairfax said the role will be “the editor-in-chief's delegated authority and the operational leader of our future newsroom.”

Goodsir also joined Fairfax in 1997 and has served in many functions across the publisher including as news editor, chief of staff, national security reporter and the launch editor of the National Times website. He will continue to oversee smh.com.au during the newsroom transition period.

Mark Hawthorne takes on the role of acting national business editor while all other positions remain unchanged for the moment. The Age will announce new editorial appointments tomorrow following the resignation of editor-in-chief Paul Ramadge today.

The findings of the Editorial Newsroom review will be unveiled later this week.

Follow @AdNews on
Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.

Have something to say? Send us your comments using the
form below or contact the writer at wenleima@yaffa.com.au

Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au